At last, a meaningful debate
(From The Japan Times April 13 issue)

ついに実りある党首討論が実現

For the first time in the current Diet session, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Democratic Party of Japan leader Ichiro Ozawa had a one-on-one debate earlier in April. Compared with their low-key debate in January, the recent debate was heated and came closer to what such a debate ought to be. Mr. Fukuda and Mr. Ozawa should strive to make their future debates equally interesting and meaningful to voters.

In the debate, Mr. Fukuda expressed his frustration over the DPJ's three-time rejection of the government's appointment plan for top officials at the Bank of Japan. Criticizing the DPJ's opposition to appointing former Finance Ministry officials to the BOJ's top posts, Mr. Fukuda insisted that there is nothing wrong with appointing qualified and experienced former bureaucrats to such posts.

Mr. Ozawa replied that the real problem is the system in which the posts of BOJ governor and deputy governor have become "vested interests" of the Finance Ministry, and said that such a system must be changed. Mr. Fukuda countered by accusing the DPJ of abusing its position as the leading party in the Upper House over the issue of personnel appointments requiring Diet approval.

The DPJ leader broached Mr. Fukuda's proposal to use revenue from road-related taxes for general purposes not limited to road construction from fiscal 2009, and asked if the proposal has been officially endorsed by the ruling parties and the Cabinet. Mr. Fukuda replied that the opposition forces should first hold consultations with the ruling bloc, but Mr. Ozawa spurned the call by saying that the DPJ cannot discuss a proposal that doesn't have the official blessing of the ruling bloc and the Cabinet.

When Mr. Ozawa criticized Mr. Fukuda for not fully understanding the meaning of the Liberal Democratic Party's defeat in last July's Upper House election, Mr. Fukuda returned fire by saying that the DPJ is slow in making important decisions, and that it is unclear which DPJ member to contact to discuss a political deal.

The two leaders should continue to hold one-on-one Diet debates that present their political visions clearly to the people.

先日、現在の通常国会では初めて、福田康夫首相と小沢一郎民主党代表の党首討論が行われた。二人が1月に初対決したときに比べ、有権者にとって面白く意義ある討論となった。

福田氏は、日銀総裁人事で民主党が再三にわたり政府案に不同意を連発したことに対し、経験豊かな元官僚がそのポストにつくことがそんなに悪いことなのか、と不満をぶちまけた。小沢氏は、財務省がポストを占めると既得権になる、と答えた。福田氏は参院で優位を占める同党が人事権について、権力を乱用している、と反論した。

また、小沢氏は、道路特定財源を一般財源化する首相案は政府・与党で正式に決めたのか、と質問。福田氏が、その前に与野党協議が必要、と言うと、政府・与党の正式決定がないものを協議するわけにはいかない、と返した。

二人の党首は、今後も1対1の討論を通じ、国民に自らのビジョンを明確に伝えていくべきであろう。